. >> sreenivasan: this was a deadly day for nato forces in afghanistan. the alliance announced four troops were killed in two separate attacks in the east. there was no immediate word on their nationalities. 280 nato service members have died in afghanistan so far this year. in syria, security forces and allied gunmen shot and killed 11 people in hama, where residents openly defied the regime of bashar al-assad. activists reported hundreds of people burned tires and erected makeshift barriers to block troops and tanks now encircling the city. in washington, state department spokesman victoria nuland said it is the latest evidence that syria is using "intimidation and arrest" to erase all opposition. >> a week ago the positive example of a city in syria where peaceful demonstrations were allowed, where people were meeting each other and organizing and talking. today we see the town surrounded by syrian security forces so we're going in the wrong direction. >> sreenivasan: in 1982, then- president hafez assad, the current leader's father, crushed a rebellio